McDONALD'S has told its staff to return any seasonal gifts and eat stale bread and bruised apples if they are having difficulty to live on their wage.

McDonald's employee budget guide, published by the "McResource" team also advised staff to break food into smaller pieces to feel fuller and "sing away" to reduce stress, NBC reported.

"On a short-term basis, do whatever it takes to dig out from your holiday debt," the McBudget Tips article stated.

"You may want to consider returning some of your unopened purchases that may not seem as appealing as they did. Selling some of your unwanted possessions on eBay or Craigslist could bring in some quick cash."

BREAK IT UP: Breaking food into pieces often results in eating less and still feeling full

CUT OUT DEBT: You may also want to consider returning some of your unopened purchases that may not seem appealing as they did. Selling some of your unwanted possessions on eBay or Craiglist could bring in some quick cash

Another said: "#OtherMcDonaldsAdvice if you give your kids empty boxes for Christmas they can also double as a bedroom!"

And one person tweeted: "A good pair of pliers makes most dentist visits unnecessary. #OtherMcDonaldsAdvice".

But despite a wave of criticism, McDonald's has defended the site.

A spokesman said: 'The vast majority of the resources and information on the site are based on credible outside experts and well-published advice.'

She rejected backlash from Low Pay Is Not OK as "an attempt by an outside organisation to undermine a well-intended employee assistance resource website".

However, she revealed McDonald's and Nurtur Health, which created the site, would 'review the content and make any necessary adjustments'.

Ruth Milkman, a professor of sociology at the City University of New York, told NBC the advice is "probably well-intentioned but shows deep ignorance of what it means to survive on a low wage job.

'Between the low wages and the short hours, it's tough out there."

Last month, it emerged that more than half of America's fast food workers rely on benefits to support themselves.

And days later, news broke that the McDonald's helpline told an employee of 10 years to apply for government-provided food stamps to get by.

Mother-of-two Nancy Salgado called 'McResource' in October asking for help paying her heating bill, feeding her children and getting her sister medical care.

Instead of discussing a raise - Salgado has been on $8.25 an hour for a decade - or offering health cover, the representative said Salgado, a full-time employee, "definitely should be able to qualify for both food stamps and heating assistance."

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